More Than Puppy Love
by thekatthatbarks
Summary: "Kakashi, you ways had…?" Gai asked him, looking at a loss for words. "What're you talking about?" Kakashi cocked an eyebrow at him. He put one of his own fingers in his mouth and probed at his teeth and felt pointy tips. He looked at Gai incredulously and moved his fingers around inside his mouth. It almost felt like canines?


**Prompt from bearsareprettynice on Tumblr. Based off of this fanart . /2d9d66eab548dbe3a77b85c822bc9a34/tumblr_npv1re1qGW1qfk1fio1_ .**

Kakashi flinched from a sudden pain in his mouth. He brought his hand up to his jaw, not stopping in their walk. The pain went away and he shrugged it off, thinking it must have been from a hit in battle. Though, he couldn't remember ever actually getting struck in the face. Maybe it had been when he was thrown into that wall. _Or hell, maybe it was from Gai accidently hitting him in his sleep._

Kakashi looked to his side at the man as he thought about it. Gai caught his eye and grinned widely at him. Kakashi smiled back at him, feeling a strange sense of warmth whenever he was with him. But then there was that pain again and this time it was even _worse_. He grabbed at his jaw in shock and opened his mouth to see if it would lessen it. But it didn't.

Gai must have noticed because he grabbed his arm, pulling them to a stop. "What's wrong, Kakashi?"

Kakashi frowned and winced again. "I don't know. There's a pain in my mouth."

Gai looked at him in concern and stepped closer. He brought his hand up to Kakashi's chin and stared at him closely. Kakashi's heart skipped a beat and he tried to ignore the nervous feeling in his stomach. _What was that from?_ He pressed his fingers gently along Kakashi's jaw probably trying to find any breaks or bruises. But the pain wasn't in any one specific place. It was like it was his whole mouth.

Gai's eyebrows pulled together as he dropped his hand. He gestured to Kakashi's face and told him, "You're going to have to take off your beloved mask, my dear rival."

Kakashi sighed and shook his head. He started walking again ignoring Gai's eyes on him. "No, it's fine, Gai. It'll go away."

Gai had seen his face before so it wasn't really that big of a deal, but it didn't mean that he wanted to take it off. He knew it was irrational. He could probably be really hurt, but he shrugged off the feeling. He didn't know why, but for some reason he didn't want Gai standing so close to him. He felt annoyed at him, but it wasn't really _annoyed_. Gai hadn't done anything wrong, so he wasn't mad at him. But he couldn't place the word. So, he just tried to ignore the odd feeling.

But luck wasn't in his cards today and his mouth kept bothering him. He tried to not let it show, but at some point he let a curse slip from his mouth as he held his jaw. Gai sighed beside him and stopped walking. Kakashi turned to him in question and Gai nodded at his mask.

Kakashi rolled his eyes, but gave in and tugged his mask down to pool at his neck. Gai stepped towards him, holding his face and turning his head from side to side. Kakashi's breathing stopped and he blamed it on the pain. When Gai gently opened his mouth and looked at his teeth, his eyes went wide. He didn't say anything and changed his angle, still staring at his teeth. Kakashi felt a slight panic from the silence. Gai was never one to be speechless. _What the hell was wrong?_

He was about to ask him just that, when Gai brought his finger to poke at one of his teeth. The pain was almost unbearable and Kakashi fought to not slam his teeth down on him. Gai removed his finger but kept holding Kakashi's face in his other hand. He glanced at Kakashi's eyes and back to his mouth. "Kakashi, you haven't….always had…?" he asked him, looking at a loss for words.

"What're you talking about?" Kakashi cocked an eyebrow at him, annoyed at his vagueness. He put one of his own fingers in his mouth and probed at his teeth, trying to see what was wrong. His hand stopped when he felt the pointy tips. He looked at Gai incredulously and moved his fingers around inside his mouth. It almost felt like… _canines_?

He withdrew his fingers in shock. "What the hell!?"

Gai shook his head and shrugged, holding up his hands. He gave him a helpless look, his eyes still on Kakashi's mouth even after he closed it. "A jutsu or something?"

Kakashi's eyebrows pulled together in frustration and he pulled his mask back up. He shrugged and started walking again. "Let's just head back to the village and see what the Godaime says."

Kakashi could tell Tsunade was trying to keep herself from laughing as she poked and prodded at his teeth. It just managed to anger him even more and she finally let a giggle out, telling him, "Come on, Kakashi-kun, _no growling_."

Kakashi glared at her, while Shizune chuckled in the corner. Gai stepped toward them, putting a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. He looked truly worried - _at least somebody did_ \- and asked her, "Lady Tsunade, what is wrong with my dear rival!?"

Tsunade's eyes flickered to Gai and back to Kakashi. She stepped away from him, pulling his mask back up sloppily. Kakashi looked at her annoyed and fixed it. She shrugged, walking back to her desk. "It's probably just a jutsu, Kakashi. Don't worry about it. If it's not gone in a few days, come see me."

Kakashi's eyebrows rose. "A few days?"

Tsunade nodded, looking bored as she sat down. "Yes? Is that a problem, Hatake?"

"You expect me to live with these for a few more days?" Kakashi asked her incredulously.

She rolled her eyes. "It's not that big of a deal. You wear a mask so no one will see them. But I doubt you would even care if they did. It's not like they're impractical." There was a twinkle in her eye and she looked back up at him. "In fact, you should have barbeque tonight."

Kakashi glared at her, harsher than before not even caring she was the damn _Hokage_ and stormed out of the office. When he closed the door, he could hear Shizune and Tsunade laughing. He huffed and stalked down the hallway, barely aware that Gai was following after him.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Gai put his hand on his arm and gave him a smile. "Kakashi, don't be so upset. They're not that bad. They're actually even kind of cute."

Gai gave him a thumbs up and Kakashi felt his cheeks redden. He was thankful, once again, for his mask. He looked at Gai with wide eyes. " _Cute_?"

Gai nodded enthusiastically. "Like a puppy!"

 _A puppy?_ Kakashi turned on his heels, feeling both parts mortified and angry. "I am not a _puppy_ , Gai," he muttered angrily under his breath.

Gai frowned and followed after him into the street. "Kakashi!"

Kakashi didn't respond, already headed towards his apartment. But Gai caught up to him, grabbing his arm. Kakashi felt his heart rate pick up when he met the man's eyes and he nearly jerked out of his hand. _He needed to stop touching him._

Kakashi sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Gai, I'm going to go take a well-deserved nap. I'll see you later."

Gai nodded and let go of him. Kakashi turned back to his walk and then heard Gai say, "I'll come by and pick up for dinner then later."

"Gai –"

"We just had a long mission, you need to eat, rival!" Gai scolded him loudly. A few people looked over at them at the sound of his voice, but Kakashi had stopped caring a long time ago – if he ever did.

Kakashi's shoulders slumped in defeat. No matter what he said, he knew Gai would still show up on his doorstep in a few hours. "No barbeque."

Gai's smile widened and the corner of Kakashi's mouth upturned in response. He gave him another enthusiastic thumbs up. "You got it!"

Kakashi waved goodbye with his signature two fingers and escaped in a puff of smoke.

Sure enough, Gai woke Kakashi from his nap just a few hours later. Kakashi was surprised he hadn't woken him up sooner when they stepped outside and it was already dark. But he felt oddly touched, knowing it was probably Gai trying to give him more sleep.

Gai didn't take him to a barbeque place like he asked him not to and they went to Ichiraku's instead. Kakashi had calmed down a bit by the time they were eating and he realized what Tsunade meant. They really _weren't_ that big of a deal. He ate just fine with them. It was just the pain in the beginning had been annoying to say the least. But they hadn't bothered him since he went to sleep earlier.

He was starting to think that the pain wasn't going to come back, when it hit him as they were walking back to his apartment. He winced when it started, bringing his hand to rub at his jaw. Gai looked over at him in concern. "Are they still bothering you?"

Kakashi nodded, but didn't say anything. When they reached his door, Gai offered, "Maybe I should look at them again?"

Kakashi looked over at him, a warm feeling growing in his chest at the obvious worry on Gai's face. He opened his door and stepped inside, gesturing with his head for Gai to come inside. Gai smiled and took off his shoes with Kakashi, then followed him to Kakashi's small kitchen. After Kakashi shrugged off his flak jacket and took off his headband discarding them to the table, he put a pot on the stove. He asked Gai as he searched through a cabinet, "Tea?"

Gai nodded and leaned against the counter near Kakashi. He could feel the warmth from Gai so close to him and tried to ignore why it made him feel nervous for some reason. _It's just Gai._ After he got mugs down, he glanced at Gai. He had a small smile on his face and was being unsually quiet and patient as he waited. Kakashi wondered if it was really because he was that worried or if it was something else entirely. It was unlike Gai to be so calm and have such a soft gentle smile.

 _Maybe he was just tired from the mission…_ Kakashi reasoned. Gai probably hadn't taken the opportunity to nap like he had. The man was always so full of unbuilt up energy, Kakashi couldn't help but wonder if he ever _did_ feel tired.

Worry tugged at his eyebrows and he asked him, "You didn't get hurt on the mission, right? I didn't think you did, but maybe I should have checked…"

Gai looked at him a little surprised, but shook his head. "No, I didn't."

Kakashi believed him, but looked over his body anyways. It _was_ like Gai to ignore an injury if he didn't think it was bad. That they had in common, not matter how much Gai nagged at him to go to the hospital after a mission.

"Why do you ask?"

"Hmm," Kakashi hummed as he poured their tea, "I don't know. You're just quiet."

"It's nothing, Kakashi," Gai assured him and stepped towards him. Kakashi's breath caught when Gai pulled down his mask, but then he remembered why.

Kakashi opened his mouth and Gai looked at his teeth, his hand holding Kakashi's chin. Gai told him seriously, meeting his eyes, "I think they're getting bigger."

Kakashi closed his mouth and looked at him in horror. "No way?"

Then, Gai chuckled and waved his hand. "I'm kidding."

Kakashi glared at him and turned back to their tea. "You know, Gai, it's not –"

He was cut off when Gai grabbed his arm and spun him back around. Kakashi only had a second to look at him in surprise and then Gai pressed his lips against his. Kakashi felt frozen in a state of shock, but then Gai's hand came up to tangle in his hair. Kakashi grabbed his green shirt and pulled him closer, kissing him back. He felt a warm feeling rushing over him as Gai's lips moved with his and it felt amazing. _How had he not thought of this himself?_ Well, maybe he _had_ but a part of him had been denying it.

But suddenly Gai broke away from him, his hand coming up to his lips. Kakashi looked at him a little breathless, his eyebrows pulling together at the sudden stop.

"You bit me," Gai told him and his voice sounded so loud in the kitchen it took Kakashi a moment to realize what he said.

"I didn't _bite_ you," Kakashi denied it. He'd barely opened his mouth and –

Gai nodded at his teeth, "Yes, you did."

"Right." Kakashi remembered why he had even had his mask off. "The canines…"

Gai laughed and Kakashi couldn't help but laugh with him. Gai leaned forward to kiss him again, but Kakashi stopped him with a raised eyebrow. "What if I bite you again?"

Gai shrugged with a smile. "Well, a dog's bark is usually worse than it's bite."

Kakashi glared at him, even though he was smiling. "Don't you start with the dog jokes, too."

Gai ignored him and told him thoughtfully. "I wouldn't call it _puppy love_ , though, it's a little more deep than that."

" _Gai_ –" Kakashi started but was interrupted by Gai kissing him again. He relaxed against him, kissing him back. He smiled against Gai's lips a thought going through his mind. _It was a little more than puppy love, wasn't it?_


End file.
